Dutch judge scraps more home help cuts

The extra cuts of 3.5 percent to home help services in the Netherlands are in breach of earlier agreements made by the deputy health minister.

THE NETHERLANDS – Extra cuts of 3.5 percent to home help services (thuiszorg), which include nursing, maternity, living and personal care assistance, are to be scrapped.

A judge in The Hague has ruled that the extra cuts were in breach of earlier agreements made by Deputy Health Minister Jet Bussemaker.

In 2008, home help service providers had to make EUR 115 million worth of cuts by streamlining services. The sector says the reductions were achieved and that it was agreed no further cuts in services would be made.

Many home help providers now make a loss, and it was argued a new round of cuts would only make the situation worse.

The deputy minister's latest measures would have meant savings of about EUR 70 millions.